Stretching device



Feb. 16, 1943.` J. PEARL STRETGHING DEVICE Filed June 28 lll PatentedFeb. 16, 1943 Unire sr OFFI@Y l 2 Claims.

This invention relates to stretching and drying means for curtains andother fabrics, having as its principal object the provision of apparatusconstituting an improved means for imposing desired stretching forcesupon limp materials such as curtains, during drying, to counteractshrinkage.

An important object of the invention is to provide such a stretchingdevice which is of very simple and compact nature, which employs no pinsor hooks which must be engaged with the fabric, such as are used withstretchers of conventional construction. My improved stretchingapparatus is therefore designed to impose less strain upon and prolongthe life of fabrics with which it is used.

A further object is to provide such a stretch- `ing device whichoccupies much less space than presently known curtain stretchingdevices, both during use and when stored.

Still another object is to provide such a curtain stretching devicewhich utilizes the force of gravity to stretch the fabric, and, whichmay be conveniently suspended from any one of many suitable supportswhich may be found in every home, such as a door, curtain pole,clothesline, or the like.

Still another object is to provide such a stretching device which mayvery quickly be attached to and removed from curtains or other fabric tobe treated, and which. does not mark or disturb the normal arrangementof the threads of the fabric, and which, further, imposes equalstretching effort upon all portions of the fabric, thereby eliminatingthe tendency to create unwanted scallops along the edges, such as arecaused by stretching devices which rely upon hooking the material overpins, or the like.

It is also an object to provide such a curtain stretching device whichis capable of accommodating and stretching several curtains at one time,and which will accommodate and properly stretch curtains whosedimensions are greater than those of the stretching device itself.

Still another object is the provision of improved supporting hook meansfor devices of the indicated character, which hook means is adapted tobe folded out of the way when not in use, and which is adapted toproject from the support in any of a plurality of positions, to enablethe apparatus to be suspended conveniently from supports which extend invarious angular directions with respect to the desired position of thecurtain stretcher during use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawingillustrat ing a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similarreference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a curtain stretching deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the samein use, and a curtain supported thereby, both the curtain and stretchingdevice being centrally broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken as if on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,and looking in the direction of the arrows, but showing the supportinghcoks arranged in a somewhat different position and coacting with asupport of different form.

Figure 3 is a bottom View taken as if on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows,- but on a larger scale and withportions between the clamping screws broken away.

Figure 4 is a front view of a portion of the upper clamping assembly,also centrally broken away.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the stretcher, inuse and suspended from a door or like support.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my improved supporting hook meansremoved from the stretching apparatus.

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the lineI-'I of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing: It will be seen that my improvedstretching apparatus consists of a pair of clamping plate assemblies,I-IZ and IDA-IZA, one adapted to extend across the top edge and theother across the lower edge of the curtain or other fabric to bestretched. The lower clamp assembly is of substantial weight, and issuspended by the curtain or material. itself, serving to stretch it byits own weight, as the material dries. L

The back plate I0 of the upper assembly carries the threaded studs I4,adapted to project through slots I5 in the front plate, and to receivewing nuts, I8, by which the plates may be clamped together and againstthe interposed edge of a curtain or the like, indicated at 20.

The lower edges of the plates are indicated as provided with alinedrolled beads 22. The slots I5 in the front plate are preferablyL-shaped, so that after placing such plate on the studs it may be movedlongitudinally to lock the plates against separation or verticalmovement with relation to one another.

The lower clamping plates may be similar to the upper plates inconstruction, as shown, and adapted to be clamped along the lower edgeof the curtain by means of like studs 14A and wing nuts I 8A. The platesare formed of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal, and preferably weighabout two pounds per square foot. This weight is sufficient to stretchthe fabric amply when the upper assembly is supported in such manner asto allow the lower assembly to hang freely and impose its weight uponthe fabric.

Hooks 25, of heavy wire, are secured to the upper clamping plateassembly to enable the same to be suspended from a suitable support,such as the rod 28. Holes 29, through which the hooks are passed, areformed in the back plate l0, these holes preferably being aligned withthe slots I5, so that the portion of the hook which projects through theplate l will not interfere with the front plate I2. As shown in Figures2, 6 and '7, the lower extremity of the wire of which the hook is formedis bent rearwardly in the plane of the hook, as indicated at 26, andthence laterally out of the plane of the hook, as indicated at 21. Theend of portion 21 is swaged or otherwise deformed to prevent it fromslipping through the hole 29. It will be apparent that the hook may beused with either the portion 26 or the portion 21 extending through theopening 29, or the angular juncture of portions 26, 21, so that the hooksection 25 may extend either at right angles or parallel to the clampingplate assembly, or at any intermediate angle. When not in use, the hookmay be swung downwardly about the portion 21 to lie behind the plate, asindicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

The upper edges of the top clamping plate assembly and the lower edgesof the bottom plate assembly are inclined inwardly to meet, and to spacethe portions of the plates through which the studs YI4--MA extend. Thisimparts such resiliency to the structure that danger of damaging thefabric when the screws are tightened is obviated.

In order to enable the device to be supported from the top of a door orthe like, I provide the foldable bracket assembly best shown in Figuresl and 5, comprising a pair of inverted hooks, 30,

embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated toadequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is tobe understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modicationand change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

l. A stretching device for curtains and the like comprising two clampassemblies, one adapted to engage the material to be stretched along theupper edge and the other along the lower edge, releasable means fortightening such clamping Y assembly, the lower assembly being ofsubstanformed of strap metal and adapted to fit over the top of a door,as 33, in the manner shown in Figure 5. Arms 35 project from the hooks,and are provided at their extremities with upwardly facing small hookedportions 36 in which the hooks 25 are adapted to be engaged. Arms 35 arepreferably long enough to hold the suspended curtain clear of the knobof the door. At their inner ends the inverted hooks 30 are pivotallyattached, as by means of rivets 31, to a strap 38, which not only spacesthem in accordance with the spacing of the hoo-ks 25,` but also bracesthem to assist in maintaining them in position upon the door.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated tial weight, means forsupporting the upper clamping assembly to allow the lower assembly tohang freely and impose its weight upon such material, each of saidclamping assemblies comprising a pair of plate-like elements, aplurality of studs projecting from one of said plate-like elements, theother of said elements having a plurality of slots projecting inwardlyfrom one edge and aligned with said studs, at least one of saidplate-like elements being longitudinally channeled and arranged with itsconcave side facing the other, said studs extending through thechanneled portion; and clamping elements engageable with said studs andadapted to overlie and bear against the slotted plate-like element toforce said elements together and clampingly engage material placedtherebetween, whereby tightening of said clamping elements may ilex saidchanneled plate-like element in a direction tending to flatten the sameto vary the pressure applied to interposed material.

2. A stretching device for curtains and the like comprising a.I pair ofclamping assemblies, one adapted to engage the material to be stretchedalong the upper edge and the other along the lower edge thereof,releasable means for tightening such clamping assemblies, the lowerclamping assembly being of substantial weight, means for supporting theupper clamping assembly to allow the lower assembly to hang freely andimpose its weight upon such material, each of said clamping assembliescomprising a pair of platelike elements, said releasable tighteningmeans including a plurality of studs projecting from one of saidplate-like elements the other of said elements having a plurality ofslots projecting inwardly from one edge and aligned with said studs, andmeans for suspending the upper assembly, comprising a pair of hooks,each formed of wire and projecting loosely through an aperture in theplate-like element which carries said studs, said apertures beingaligned with the studreceiving slots of the other element, whereby whensaid elements are assembled said hooks may also project through saidslots, the lower `extremities of said hooks having portions slidablethrough said apertures and bent angularly in a substantially horizontalplane, whereby the hooks may be disposed in various angular relationswith respect to said upper plate-like assembly.

JOI-IN PEARL.

